Mr Kristian Schmidt is Director, Land Transport at the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport since April 2021. He previously held senior management positions at the European Commission, as Director at the Directorate-General for International Development Cooperation (DG DEVCO 2010-2013), as Deputy Head of Cabinet to European Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas (2004-2010) and as Deputy Head of Cabinet to EU Commissioner Poul Nielson (1999-2004). His diplomatic career, which started at the Danish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, includes a posting at the UN New York (1997-1999) serving as EU Ambassador to Uganda (2013-2017) and EU Ambassador to Burma/Myanmar (2017-2020). 

ERTMS as centrepiece of railway modernisation

ERTMS is the enabler for interoperability and increased efficiency of European train networks. It is a pre-requisite for further technologies that will increase the efficiency of railways: automation, better connectivity (via 5G), more precise localisation (via satellite and other) and identification of train completeness. With FRMCS, DAC and linked to traffic management, ERTMS can bring railway services to the next level and delivering a vibrant internal market and cleaner environment for the next generations.